Friday, 25 January 2013

Girls
Aloud star, colour ambassador and style mentor, Nicola Roberts, has brought new
meaning to ‘January Blues’ by being transformed into a canvas of Indigo Night
to announce 2013’s Colour of the Year – as predicted by a global panel of
experts from leading paint brand, Dulux.

Nicola’s
signature porcelain skin and flame red hair contrast boldly with a custom set,
styling and make-up compilation which are all entirely Indigo. No actual
paint was used on Nicola's skin - The body ‘paint’ effect was
achieved using a air-brush make-up application through costume lace to create a
unique body art effect.

The
specific colour, Indigo Night, was predicted following extensive research by an
18-strong panel of global colour and trend experts who specialise in different
areas of colour use. Collectively the team scours the globe, exploring a broad
range of different cultures and industries including interiors, fashion,
beauty, design and even social and economic influences. The result is an
annual trend forecast known as ColourFutures, which depicts five key trends for
the year ahead and one true Colour of the Year, competing with the world’s leading
trend authorities.

Louise
Smith, Dulux Senior Global Colour Designer, comments: “We’re currently living
in turbulent times and this is having an effect on the colours we want to wrap
ourselves and our homes in. Blue is a key fashion colour for 2013 and is set to
be a wardrobe and interior favourite throughout the year. Indigo adds a
surprising, elegant strength and shows you are quietly confident with colour,
which is why we felt Nicola would be the perfect ambassador for Indigo Night;
an advocate of being bold with her natural colour and champion of colour in her
everyday life.”

To
celebrate the announcement of Indigo Night as the Colour of the Year, Dulux is
offering a limited supply of free testers, which can be ordered online through http://www.dulux.co.uk/colouroftheyear.

Further
information on Colour Futures and the 2013 trend predictions from Dulux can be
viewed at www.colourfutures.com.Dulux is
the UK consumer paint brand of global coatings manufacturer, AkzoNobel

Thursday, 24 January 2013

The city of Leeds is set to see a
major retail and leisure development open its doors on 21 March 2013 which will
bring leisure and lifestyle brands to the heart of the city
and late night shopping all year
round.

Named Trinity
Leeds, the 1 million sq ft development is designed to be an extension of Leeds’
best known outdoor shopping streets all housed under a sweeping glass dome roof
(which apparently could hold the weight of ten elephants)

Most technically advanced
shopping destination in the UK with free
wifi, assistants on hand with internet-connected iPads, and giant interactive video
walls that offer fun and futuristic shopping and dining experiences via gesture
recognition and touch-sensitivity. In addition, Trinity Leeds will create a
mobile app and a link with Google which allows shoppers to search for items on
sale in the centre.

Over 100 national and international brands – with the UK’s largest Superdry, Hollister, Mango, Fossil and
Victoria’s Secret’s first store outside of London. Other flagship stores to the city will include Urban Outfitters and a three storey Primark.

Biggest Everyman Cinema in the UK. Unlike any other, Everyman offers
cinema-goers a truly unique and memorable experience where you can sit and
relax in comfy sofas with a glass of wine.
As well as showing blockbusters, Everyman
also offers Art House and classic films, special events and launches.

Casual
dining will include the launch of ‘Trinity Kitchen’ opening in September
2013. ‘Trinity Kitchen’ will be curated by Richard Johnson, renowned UK food
journalist and broadcaster, and the brains behind the emerging British Street
Food movement and acclaimed British Street Food Awards.

Trinity Kitchen will host five pop-up food traders from across the
UK – which change on a regular
basis.

Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Vanessa Paradis is the
face of Conscious at H&M this spring, wearing pieces in the campaign that
are both on-trend and also more-sustainable.

The actress and singer wears a
ruffle-edged yellow sundress (below image), as well as an embellished zip-up utility jacket
worn with botanical print trousers (above image).

Other pieces in the collection consist of romantic styles like a floor-length dress and more sporty shapes such as a cropped jumpsuit and a tropical print T-shirt dress.
There are accessories too, such as ankle-strap heels, and the entire collection is made from more sustainable materials, such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and Tencel.
The full women’s collection will be available in H&M stores worldwide as well as online from end of March, alongside Conscious collections for Men - blazers, chinos, Ikat print shirts and shorts – and fun prints for kids and babies.
Vanessa Paradis says, “I like being part of something like the Conscious collection at H&M. I try my best to shop consciously, and vintage is very much part of my wardrobe. I love the style and it works in an eco-friendly way because I like to use and reuse old clothes.”
Coinciding with the campaign will be the launch of a Conscious garment collecting action at H&M. Customers will be able to bring any unwanted garments from any label to selected stores, and in return for each bag receive an H&M voucher, to a maximum of two bags per customer per day. H&M is the first store to encourage garment return on this scale, in an effort to prevent clothing from going to landfill.

From swimsuit to maxi dress, all are of finely knitted jersey in
different weaving techniques including pleats and ribs.

This is definitely a
capsule wardrobe to carry on the fun from beach to evening.
Matching wedge sandals and bags are by AV. Creative ; and hats by Jordan Bowen - all especially designed for Ekaterina Kukhareva.
Sunglasses by Moo and jewellery by Gogo Philip

Monday, 7 January 2013

The collection was inspired by the rough edges of a close friend's love tale - of being in and out of love with the same man.
Like in the first stages of love, the collection looks uncomplicated,with smooth cotton mini dresses in whites and creams

But soon the mood changes and you do a double take as the front and back of each outfit
contrast with each other in cut and design.

You see simple on one side, detailed on the other; short length on one
side, long on the other– reflecting that there are two sides to every story ,
especially love .
Like the rigours of love, the garments take on a richer and more tactile look with glass sequin embellishments and fabrics of silk and organza.

Sunday, 6 January 2013

Inspired by paintings and idealistic moralities of The Judgement of Paris, Eugene Lin reimagines the tale in the modern 21st Century.

Lin's cutting techniques show the collection pieces as distorted and echo the state of undress of the goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite as they each try to persuade Paris to choose them as the fairest one of all.

Outwear is deconstructed into dresses and tops with a strong emphasis on belted waists and slim body con silhouettes.

A rich colour palette of earth tones; gold and black and soft pink interpret the three personalities of the goddesses

Lin's digital prints show the golden apple which started the argument of who was the fairest one. Eris the goddess of discord had inscribed the apple with 'for the fairest one' when she was not invited to the marriage of Achilles' parents and threw it in to the party.